The tech giant’s link to a raid on the home of a journalist who wrote about the new iPhone has fuelled claims that its secrecy verges on paranoia

Police go in hard — similar tactics were used in the raid on Jason Chen’s home (Moodboard/Corbis)
Apple faces accusations of heavy-handedness in a growing row over its efforts
to suppress information about the next generation of its bestselling iPhone.

In a drama that has taken on a life of its own in the United States, the
multi-billion-dollar corporation stands accused of persuading police to raid
the home of a journalist who published details of the new device. Apple
apparently feared that revelations about the phone’s advanced features could
be worth millions to competitors.

More than 50m iPhones have been sold worldwide since its launch in 2007,
generating estimated profits for Apple of $25 billion (£16.6 billion). The
eagerly awaited new version — with an extra camera, a much-improved
touchscreen and longer battery life — is due to be unveiled this summer.